[LEMONS] 7.12.2005
Do the Collapse
(or) Global Warming, This Time It's Personal II: Climate Change Boogaloo
"Without the krill, you could be looking at a food web collapse." -- Ellie Cohen, executive director of the Point Reyes Bird Observatory
I read an alarming story in today's newspaper. Plankton are vanishing from the Pacific's waters:
Oceanic plankton have largely disappeared from the waters off Northern California, Oregon and Washington, mystifying scientists, stressing fisheries and causing widespread seabird mortality.Among the findings:
The phenomenon could have long-term implications if it continues: a general decline in near-shore oceanic life, with far fewer fish, birds and marine mammals. No one is certain how long the condition will last. But even a short duration could severely affect seabird populations because of drastically reduced nesting success, scientists say.
The plankton disappearance is caused by a slackening of what is known as 'upwelling:' the seasonal movement of cold, nutrient-rich offshore water into areas near shore.
This cold water sustains vast quantities of phytoplankton and zooplankton, which are the basis of the marine food web. During periods of vigorous upwelling and consequent plankton 'blooms,' everything from salmon to blue whales fattens and thrives on the continental shelf of the West Coast.(snipped) A recent study indicated the phenomenon may be long term, and linked to global warming.
Last week, Fisheries and Oceans Canada -- the federal agency dealing with Canada's marine and inland waters -- released a report saying 2004's spring and summer ocean surface temperatures in the Gulf of Alaska and off British Columbia were the warmest in 50 years.
The study concluded the record high temperatures were caused by abnormally warm weather in Alaska and western Canada, as well as "general warming of global lands and oceans."(and)
In perhaps the most ominous development, seabird nesting has dropped significantly on the Farallon Islands off San Francisco, the largest Pacific Coast seabird rookery south of Alaska.
Bill Sydeman, the director of marine ecology for the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, a science and conservation organization that maintains a research station on the Farallones, said the collapse of the nesting season is unprecedented in the three decades the group has monitored the islands.
- Double- crested cormorant nesting is down by 50 percent in the Bay Area, and a major die off occurred in Oregon.
- Observers expect zero nesting success for Cassin's auklets ("We've never seen anything like it.")
- The lowest catch of juvenile rockfish in 23 years.
- Juvenile salmon numbers have dropped precipitously.
The design is based on a Zeldman blogger template, but I'd like something different. I plan on switching to Movable Type, from Blogger, so that entries can be tagged. I'd also like a better URL that isn't on honan.net. And other bloggers to help. I'm more interested in keeping a record, and in links to news reports than I am in opinion, though analysis is certainly a goal. If you're interested, email warm.planet@gmail.com. In any case. It's something.
1 comments
I'd be happy to pass along any links I might find. I'm sure I have some archives stuff in my blogfodder folder that might be of use.
-- noted
MacDara : 10:40 AM- l i n k -
